Grizzly Bear Management

The Grizzly Bear is perhaps the greatest symbol of the wilderness. Its survival will be the greatest testimony to our environmental commitment. The government of B.C. published the British Columbia Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy, A Future for the Grizzly, with the hope of leaving a permanent legacy for our children.

NOTE: The Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy was written in 1995 and some of the information contained in this document (and others accessed through this website) contain information that is now out-of–date. For the most recent information on grizzly bear population numbers and grizzly bear hunting, please see “Grizzly Bear Hunting – Frequently Asked Questions” (603KB PDF).

North Cascades Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan

Recovery planning for Grizzly Bear populations that are at risk is a critical element of the province's efforts to realize the first goal of the Grizzly Bear Conservation Strategy (GBCS), "To maintain in perpetuity the diversity and abundance of Grizzly Bears and the ecosystems they depend upon throughout British Columbia."
Currently eleven Grizzly Bear populations have been designated as “Threatened” under the GBCS (Map of British Columbia Grizzly Bear Population Units - jpg).

In the absence of successful recovery efforts, these populations are at risk of extirpation, (becoming locally extinct), which would result in further erosion of the range of Grizzly Bears in British Columbia and North America as a whole. Three of these Threatened populations (North Cascades, South Selkirks and Yahk) are shared
with the USA where they are also designated as "Threatened" under the federal Endangered Species Act. In these situations, the fourth goal of the GBCS provides important guidance, "To increase international cooperation in management and research of Grizzly Bears."

Due to its small size and isolation from other populations, the recovery of the North Cascades population is the highest conservation priority under the GBCS. As a result, the North Cascades was selected for the first pilot recovery planning process for a Threatened Grizzly Bear population.

A Recovery Plan for Grizzly Bears in the North Cascades of British Columbia (PDF 1.41MB) has been developed. The Recovery Team was not to translocate Grizzly Bears to the North Cascades until further direction was received (see Section 4.3). The recovery plan includes the
establishment of a Liaison Committee comprised of representatives from local First Nations and stakeholders that will work with the recovery team during its implementation.

Grizzly Bear Scientific Panel

The Grizzly Bear Scientific Panel was asked to conduct a review of the ministry's implementation of the recommendations in their final report (see below) which they have provided. The panel’s letter indicates that the Province has made good progress in implementing their recommendations.

The Ministry responded to the progress report from the Grizzly Bear Scientific Panel. Subsequent to this correspondence, government has announced several land-use plans that set aside additional grizzly habitat areas. (LetterPDF 65KB)

In order to assist them in their review, the Grizzly Bear Scientific Panel was provided with two technical reports prepared by Grizzly Bear scientists within the provincial government. The first was a background report on Grizzly Bear harvest management in British Columbia and the second was a review and critique of the current
management system.

A letter from the Minister of Water, Land and Air Protection, to Margo Wallstrom, Commissionaire for the Environment for the European Commission, providing an update on the province's work to implement the Grizzly Bear Scientific Panel's recommendations is also available. (LetterPDF 195KB

Non-Detriment Finding for the Convention of International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) for the Export of Grizzly Bears from British Columbia

The Non-Detriment Report was prepared for CITES, based on recent revisions to the provincial Grizzly Bear population estimates and harvest procedures. This replaces the previous document (2002). The report contains a summary table and a radar diagram as visual representation of the issues related to a non-detriment finding
under CITES, and states that “the requirements for a non-detriment finding are met with the management regime put into place in British Columbia.” This updated information was also provided to the Scientific Review Group of the European Union.

In 2002, a Non-Detriment Finding was prepared for CITES that concluded the export of harvested Grizzly Bears from British Columbia does not represent a conservation threat to the species or its populations. A letter from Matt Austin, Large Carnivore Specialist with the Ecosystems Branch conveying the report to Dave Fraser, the
CITES Scientific Authority for British Columbia, and responding to concerns raised by the Scientific Review Group of the European Union, is also available. This information has been forwarded to the European Union by the Canadian Wildlife Service in response to a request from the European Commission.

Grizzly Bear Population Inventory and Monitoring Strategy

Since the 1990s, the techniques available for survey and monitoring of grizzly bear populations have seen significant advancements in the ability to gain reliable knowledge about populations at scales most relevant to proactive conservation, mitigation, harvest management, and population recovery.

Much of the research and many of the inventory approaches utilizing these new techniques were developed in B.C., and numerous sampling efforts have now been applied independently throughout the province.

The report outlines a decision process for establishing geographic priorities for grizzly bear population inventory and monitoring needs based on objective and transparent criteria. The report and associated priorities will be updated regularly to ensure that the best available information continues to guide future efforts.

As individual (and often independent) sampling efforts continue across the province, consistency and coordination in design, field, and analytical methods may allow us to address research and monitoring objectives not otherwise possible. This includes comparisons among ecological regions and across gradations of natural and human influence at a provincial-scale (including changes in climate, ecosystems, and disturbance), as well as long term trends.